Manchester United keep Carlos Baleba on 2025 agenda as Brighton hold firm until summer

Brighton have reiterated they will not cash in on 21-year-old midfielder Carlos Baleba before next summer, easing talk that he is unsettled or pushing to leave. From a former pro’s vantage point, that stance is standard mid-season protection of value, not a hard stop to a transfer. Manchester United’s interest remains concrete and long-standing, and the fit is obvious: a powerful ball-winner with press resistance and legs to anchor a modern midfield. Expect the conversation to move into structured summer talks, where United’s project and minutes on offer will matter as much as the fee. This story is only just warming up.

Club circles on the south coast have downplayed claims of any unrest around Carlos Baleba and reiterated a not-for-sale stance during the current campaign. The message aligns with typical mid-season strategy: protect the asset, revisit when the market is fluid. Meanwhile, recruitment departments at elite Premier League clubs have been tracking Baleba’s development since his Ligue 1 breakthrough, and his profile as a dynamic No.6 or hybrid No.8 continues to attract top-level attention. With summer windows historically more conducive to major midfield moves, both valuation and squad planning point to end-of-season negotiations as the realistic timeline.

🚨 BREAKING: Brighton have no plans to cash in on United target Carlos Baleba this side of next summer. Suggestions the 21-year-old is unhappy on the Sussex coast and is pushing for a transfer have also been played down. [@alex_crook]

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

From a tactical lens, Baleba brings attributes United have searched for across multiple windows: duel-winning grit, second-ball security, and the ability to play through pressure. His engine lets him cover large zones, and while his passing can be more vertical than expansive, it suits a side trying to break lines quickly after regains. He is not the finished article—decision speed and discipline in rest defense still have steps to take—but his ceiling is precisely why Brighton are relaxed about waiting for summer. For United, the upside is twofold: immediate energy into the midfield structure and a long-term anchor who can grow into a leadership role at the base of a pressing unit.

Financially, a summer move creates clearer room for amortization and squad reshaping around existing contracts. Sporting-wise, it allows a full pre-season integration rather than a mid-season patch, which I’ve lived through and rarely favors a young midfielder adapting to a new tempo. The Premier League learning curve is real, but Baleba’s profile—strong in contact, confident receiving under pressure—translates. Pair him with a progressive passer and a high-running No.8, and you rebuild United’s midfield triangle with balance. That is why, despite Brighton’s winter stance, optimism around an end-of-season deal is justified.

Reaction

Fan sentiment is split, and that’s natural when a name has been on the radar for months. Some argue Brighton can’t hold a player of this profile beyond next summer and expect a move once the window opens. Others, watching week-to-week form lines, feel his performances have dipped and question whether United should pivot to alternatives. A few voices put a sticker price on it already, calling for a sensible fee in the mid-range rather than a premium. There is also a faction advocating for a different profile altogether, pushing the case for a technical controller like Adam Wharton.

What stands out, though, is how many United fans frame this in terms of midfield balance. They want a ball-winner who can carry, not just a recycler; someone with the mobility to shield transitions and the personality to handle Old Trafford expectations. Skeptics cite inconsistency, but even they concede the athletic traits and pressing resistance are hard to find. In short: the debate isn’t whether United need this profile—it’s whether Baleba is the one, at the right price, at the right time. As ever, results and fee will shape the mood quickly.

Social reactions

He’s been subpar this season though..

MUFC Academy (@mufcacademy91)

Man utd should go for Wharton

Bro Code Health (@Bro_Code_x)

Don’t want him anymore he’s been fucking shit all season

Jake (@JakeM087)

Prediction

Expect Brighton to stick to their line through the winter, while quietly setting internal price parameters for June. United’s scouting department will keep building an evidence pack: minute loads, high-intensity actions, turnover maps, and pressing-evaded metrics. If the numbers match the eye test, a spring approach is likely, aiming for early-window completion to secure a full pre-season. A fee in the 40–55m range aligns with age, contract, and upside, especially given the scarcity of athletic No.6s with top-five league exposure.

United will also maintain leverage via alternatives: monitoring profiles like Adam Wharton and other young controllers who can complement a ball-winner. That dual-track strategy narrows to one or two targets by May. For the player, the pathway matters: assurances on role, minutes, and development. Brighton, as ever, will negotiate from strength but are pragmatic sellers when timelines and valuations converge. The most probable scenario remains a structured summer move, potentially with add-ons linked to appearances and European qualification. If United move decisively, this is a deal that can be lined up early, not dragged to deadline day.

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Conclusion

I’ve seen these cycles countless times: a club protects its asset mid-season, rival fans overreact to weekly form, and the real business gets done when the window resets. Baleba fits a clear United need—legs, bite, and bravery on the ball in tight zones. Give him a defined role and a consistent partner, and you reduce the chaos that has too often exposed United’s back line. Brighton’s stance is logical, not obstructive; they know a maturing player commands a stronger market in June. United’s job is to be first in line with a clean proposal, a convincing sporting plan, and no mixed signals.

Strip away the noise and the path is obvious: keep the temperature low now, accelerate late spring, and close before pre-season. Do that, and you give a 21-year-old the platform to grow while giving the team the tempo and steel it has lacked. For me, this has all the hallmarks of a summer transfer that makes football and financial sense. The window won’t open the door by itself—United have to walk through it. But the door, make no mistake, is already ajar.